Furnace-charging system



Sept. 1, 1-925.

W. E. NEWNAM FURNACE CHARGING SYSTEM Filed July 27'. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wu/WW: Mama 5. lYEh/NAM,

Sept. 1, 1925 W. E. NEWNAM FURNACE CHARGING SYSTEM Filed July 27, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 klm w m if HHHHHH HIIIII|IIL Sept. 1, 1925v 1,551,606

W. E. NEWNAM FURNACE CHARGING SYSTEM Filed July 27, 1922 4 Sh eets-Sheet 5 Sept. 1, 1925 1,551,606 W. E. NEWNAM FURNACE CHARGING SYSTEM Filed July 27. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 1, 1925. p I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. NEWNAM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL LEAD GOM- IPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FURNACE-CHARGING SYSTEM.

Application filed July 27, 1822. Serial No. 577,923.

periodically with ore, fuel and flux in the proper proportions. As such furnaces must be kept in constant operation, not only is.

it necessary that the charging system be simple, but also efficient and reliable and at all times under control. The components of the charge should also be properly mixed in the furnace,

One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide a system whereby the components will be properly assembled and deposited in the furnace.

Another object of this invention is to provide a system whereby the placement of the assembled charge in the furnace and the selection of components to make the charge is under control of the superintendent.

Another object of this invention is to provide a system which is simple in construction and operation, and which is effective and reliable.

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan of a'system embodying this invention; 7

Figure 2 is an elevation;

Figure 3 is a detail showing one of the receiving or weighing devices;

Figure 4 is a section of one of the receivin or weighing devices;

igure 5 is a similar view showing another -receiving or weighing device;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the gathering car;

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the charge car; and

Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the relation of the se-veral narts.

The drawings are diagrammatical in form, and no attempt has been made to show details of construction, for as to these details, any suitable known mechanism may be used well known to those skilled in the art.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, arranged along a suitable track 12 are a series of bins 10, 11, etc. which receive components of the charge which may be distributed in these bins in any suitable manner, as by cars running on overhead tracks 13 and 14; where the plant is one for the smelting of lead, the bins are charged with ore, fuel and flux. Thus, for'example, in Figure 1, the first three bins 10, 11 and 20 may contain coke, bins 21 and 30 grey slag, bins 31 and 40, dross, 41 and 50, grey slag, 51, gravel, 60, limestone and 61, iron cinder. The components of a charge can, however, be placed in the bins to suit the requirements or practice of the particular superintendent of the plant.

The track 12 runs in a sub-Way 15 below the floor level of the bins and over this track extend a series of weighing devices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 which, in the particular embodiment shown, are placed opposite alternate partitions of the bins. Each of these weighing devices has a pair of hoppers A and B, each of which has a multiple beam scale, as hereinafter described. The track 12 extends underneath a sinter cake plant 16, such as the usual Dwight Lloyd apparatus, which is provided with outlet hoppers 17 and 18 discharging into weighing devices 7 and 8 which may be similar to the weighing devices 1 to 6 inclusive, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The track 12 has a branch 19 on the same level and on which a gathering car 22 run,- ning on the track may be switched. This gathering car is arranged to run under-. neath the weighing devices 1 to 8 inclusive to receive the charge therein, as hereinafter described. Crossing the branch track 19 is an inclined track 23 which leads from a pit below the track 19 to the furnaces 24 and 25, and on this track is arranged to run a charge car 26. gathered by the gathering car from the several weighing devices is dumped into the charge car to a position therebelow, as shown in Figure 2. The charge car is then wheeled up the incline and over a selected furnace to dump the charge therein. For

this urpose, suitable cables may be provide or the cars may be 0 erated electrically as is well known to ose skilled in the art.

' Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the weighing device shown, as previously referred to, is in duplicate and comprises a. pair of weighing hoppers 27, each of which has a scale 28. As shown, this scale is of the multiple beam type having setting devices 29 so that each opper may have weighed therein successively from one to four different components of the charge. Such multi ple beam scales are well known in the art and a further description thereof is, therefore, unnecessary.

Each hopper has drop bottoms 32 counter weighted as shown at 33 and having suitable connections 34, whereby each hopper may be dumped. In order to control the dumpin of any hopper section, there is provide in the sub-wav 15 a pair of levers 35 and 36, each of which controls the dumping of a hopper section and which are osi tioned to be operated by the driver 0 the gathering car or larry 22.

The arrangement of the hoppers and scales for the Dwight L10 (1 a paratus is similar to those previously d escri for the weighing devices 1 to 6 inclusive and the same parts are indicated by like reference characters. In this case, the ho rs '17 from the Dwight Lloyd apparatus ischarge on belts 37 into the oppers 27. V

The gathering car is shown in detail in Figure 6 and comprises generally a pair of trucks 38 and a frame 39 thereon. This frame is provided with a hopper or body 42 which is provided with any suitable and well known dumping bottom 43, but which is divided by transverse partitions 44 to divide the hopper or body into two distinct compartments, one at each end correspondingrespectivel to the hoppers of a weig ing device. '1 's truck may be electrica ly driven and may be provided with suitable dumping devices which may, however, be of any suitable construction well known to those skilled in the art, and a further description thereof is, therefore, unnecessary.

T e charge car comprises suitable running gear 45 provided with a frame 46 supporting a hopper or body 47 which, as in the case of the gathering car, is of elongated form and is also divided by a transverse partition 48 to form two compartments, one at each end. The bottom 49 of this charge car body is also of the drop type and any suitable dropping mechanism is provided which may be of any suitable construction well known to those skilled in the art.

In the operation of the system embod iiig this invention, let us ta for examp e, that the device 1 is loaded with coke from either bin 10 or 11, device 3 is loaded with grey slag and dross from bins 30 and 31,

- device 5 with grey slag from bin 50 and gravel from bin 51, and device 6 with limestone from bin and iron cinder from bin 61. The material may be discharged from the bins into the weighing devices by gravity. As the gathering car now passes underneath the hop ers at the several assembling stations, t e driver will successively, by the operation of the levers 35 and 36, dump the contents into the gathering car so that when the gathering oar reaches the branch 19, it will be fully loaded with the components of the charge successively drop d therein. As the gathering car is positioned over the charge car, the contents are dumped into the charge car and the latter is wheeled up the incline and the contents dumped into the furnace. g

It will be understood that in some cases a charge of the sinter cake from the Dwight Lloyd plant can be weighed into the charge car in a similar way, either alone or in con-' nection with components from the materials of the devices 1 to 6 inclusive. It will further be understood that a series of components may be placed in a single hop r as the multiple beam scalh?;-provides' fiir ready weighing of the same. i

In the operation of the plant, no fixed rule need be followed as to the weighing hopper in which a given component is placed, as in practice this is governed almost entirely by the nearness of the weighing hopper to the storage bin; the idea being to place the components from any suchstorage .bin in the nearest weighing hopper in order to reduce the length of haul from the storage bin to the weighing hopper. It is not necessary that the components be bedded even in the weighing hopper, as they can be placed at random therein by first drawing rom the hop er of the lowest number containing the c large components and drawing successively from the other weighing hoppers containing the charge components. The main purpose of the arrangement of the store e bins and weighing hoppers is to shorten 51c haul from the stora 'e bins to the weighing hoppers. Accordin ly the same charge com onent can be store in two or more storage ins, some times adjoining and someifmes remote from each other. By employment of a series of weighing hoppers, when a charge component in one bin is exhausted, the same charge can be drawn from another bin located remote] from the exhausted bin and placed in t e nearest weighing hopper, thus minimizin the haul from the stora e bins to the weig ing hoppers. While, 1: erefore, the com orients of the charge are often placed in di erent hoppers, such components are successively picked up. as the gathering carpasses un- Inn weighing hopper.

derneath the same. This is not for the purpose of bedding the charge but for shortening the haul of any given component or components. As a matter of fact, one hopper will frequently be loaded with two components which are not bedded even in the Upon referring to Figure 8, it will be noted that the length or horizontal extent of the different hoppers, cars and furnace increase progressively. Thus, for example, the weighing hoppers 27 have a combined length of eight feet, the gathering car 22 has a length of nine feet, the charge car 26 has a length of eleven feet, while the furnace 25 has an inside measurement of twelve feet, three inches. Thus, it will be seen that the increase in horizontal extent or length from the weighing hopper to the furnace is over fifty percent. This is advantageous for as the charge is successively dropped from the weighing hopper to the gathering car, to the charge car, and into the furnace, this charge is progressively extended or spread out, thereby resultin in a better distribution and mixing of t e charge. This mixing is finally accomplished in the furnace where the mixing is provided to cause the charge to spread outwardly toward the sides of the furnace as is required. The charge is, however, simply dropped from the weighing hopper to the gathering car and the charge car.

As previousl pointed out, the weighing devices have d iiplicate hoppers and these correspond to the compartments of the gathering car and the charge car. Accordin ly the charge is kept in two separate or para lel bodies, one at each end. Accordingly the delivery of the char e to the furnace can be selectively controlle for example, if it is desired to vary the charge from one end of .the furnace with respect to the other, either in quantities or in components, this can be readily accomplished by varying the delivery of the components of the charge to the weighing hoppers. Thus, where only one weighing hopper of a set is loaded, one end of the gathering car will be loaded heavier than the other, and in the same way, the quality and the proportion of the ingredients in the separate ends can also be varied.

In a plant of this type, it is very essential that the plant be kept in continuous operation. Accordingly the mechanism, such as the gathering and charge cars should be in duplicate. In order to provide for the charge car being duplicated, a reserve car 200 is kept on an elevated track 52 which has a switch 53 suitably controlled by a counter-weight 54 and hoisting cables 55, so that this switch 53 may be dropped down on the main cross track 23. This allows the reserve car to replace the regular char e car.

'hile this system has been descri ed as smelting plant, it is obvious that many of its .features are applicable to other plants, such as copper smelting plants which also use elongated furnaces. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details without departin from the spirit of this invention; it is, t erefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a track leading to the furnace, a series of bins arranged along said track, a series of weighing hoppers arranged along said track, each hopper being positioned to receive material from a number of said bins, and a gathering car movable along said track and adapted to gather the material from said hoppers.

2. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a track leading to a discharge point at the furnace, a series of bins arranged along said track, a series of weighing devices arranged along said track, each device having a number of hoppers positioned to receive the material from a number of said bins, and a gathering car movable along said track and adapted to gather the material from said hoppers. 1

3. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a gathering track, a cross track leading to a discharge point at the furnace, a series of bins arranged along said gathering track, a series of weighing hoppers arranged along said gathering track and adapted to receive the material .from said bins, a gathering car movable along said gathering track and adapted to gather the material from said hoppers, and a charge car on said cross track and receiving the material from said gathering car.

4. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a track leading to a discharge point. at the furnace, a series of weighing devices arranged along said track, each device having a number of hoppers adapted to receive the material, each hopper having means for delivering a series of components thereto and means for independently weighing a series of components therein, a gathoriifg car movable along said track and adapted to gather the material from said hoppers, and means for independently controlling the dumping of said hoppers.

5. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a weighing device comprising a number of hoppers, a gathering car adapted to receive the material from said device, said car having compartments corresponding to said hoppers, and a charge car of greater horizontal extent than said gathering car adapted to receive the material from said gathering car.

6. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a weighing device comprisin a number of hoppers, a gatheringcar a apted to receive the material from said device, said car having compartments correspondin to said hoppers, and a charge car adapte to receive the material from said gathering gathering track and having compartments each of which is adapted to receive the material, and a charge car on said cross track and having compartments corresponding to the compartmentsin the charge car and adapted to receive the material therefrom.

9. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a receiving hopper for the material, a gathering car of greater horizontal extent than said hop'er and adapted to receive the material tierefrom, and a char e car of greater horizontal extent than said gathering car and adapted to receive the -material therefrom.

10. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a receiving hopper for the material, a gathering car of greater horizontal extent than said hopper and adapted to receive the material therefrom, a charge car of greater horizontal extent than said gathering car and adapted to receive the ma terial therefrom, and a furnace of greater horizontal extent adapted to receive the material therefrom.

11. In a system for charging elon ated furnaces, a receiving ho per for a be y of the material, a furnaceoi greater horizontal extent than said hopper, and means for transferring the body of material from said hopper to said furnace, whereby the horizontal extent of said body is progressively increased.

12. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a receiving hopper for a body of the material, a furnace o greater horizontal extent than said hopper, and devices for successively transferring the body of material from said hopper to sai furnace,

than said charge car and 15. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a pair of receiving hoppers, a cooperating gathering car having compartments corresponding to but of greater horizontal extent than said hoppers, a cooperating charge car having com artments correspondin to but of greater orizontal extent than the gathering car, and a cooperating furnace having a greater horizontal extent than said charge car.

16. In a system for charging elongated 'furnaces, a track leading to a discharge point at the furnace, a series of receiving hoppers along said track, a athering car of greater horizontal extent than a hopper and movable on said track in order to re; ceive the material from said hoppers, and a charge car of greater horizontal extent than and receiving the material from said gathering car.

17. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a track leading to a discharge oint at the furnace, a series of receiving oppers along said track, a athering car of reater horizontal extent t an a hopper and movable on said track in order to receive the material from said hoppers, and a charge car of greater horizontal extent than and receiving the material from said gathering car, said charge car being of less horizontal extent than and adapted to depositthe material in the furnace.

l8.'In a system for charging elongated furnaces, an inclined main track leading to the furnace, a charge car thereon, an elevated track, a reserve charge car thereon, and a switch adapted to connect said ele vated track with said main track.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature this 19th day of June, 1922.

WILLIAM E. NEWNAM.

but of greater hori- 6. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a weighing device comprising a number of hoppers, a gatheringcar adapted to receive the material from said device, said car having compartments correspondin to said hoppers, and a charge car adapted to receive the material from said gathering car, said charge car having compartments corresponding to the compartments in said gathering car. J

7 In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a gathering car having compartments each of which is adapted to receive the material, and a charge car having compartments corresponding to the compartments in the charge car and adapted to receive the material therefrom.

8. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a gathering track, a cross track leading to the furnace, a gathering car on said gathering track and having compartments each of which is adapted to receive the material, and a charge car on said cross track and having compartments corresponding to the compartments .in the charge car and adapted to receive the material therefrom.

9. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a receiving hopper for the material, a gathering car of greater horizontal extent than said hopper and adapted to receive the material therefrom, and a char e car of greater horizontal extent than sald gathering car and adapted to receive the material therefrom.

10. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a receiving hopper for the mate rial, a gathering car of greater horizontal extent than said hopper and adapted to receive the material therefrom, a charge car of greater horizontal extent than said gathering car and adapted to receive the material therefrom, and a furnace of greater horizontal extent than said charge car and adapted to receive the material therefrom.

11. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a receiving hopper for a body of the material, a furnace o greater horizontal extent than said hopper, and means for transferring the body of material from said hopper to said furnace, whereby the horizontal extent of said body is progressively increased.

12. In a system for charging elon ated furnaces, a receiving ho per for a body of the material, a furnace o greater horizontal extent than said hopper, and devices for successively transferring the bod of material from said hopper to sai furnace,

ments corresponding to but of greater horizontal extent than said hoppers, and a cooperating charge car having compartments corresponding to but of greater horizontal extent than the gathering car.

15. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a pair of receiving hoppers, a cooperating gathering car having com artments corresponding to but of greater ori-' zontal extent than said hoppers, a cooperating charge car having com artments corresponding to but of greater orizontal extent than the gathering car, and a cooperating furnace having a greater horizontal extent than said charge car.

16. In a system for charging elongated "furnaces, a track leading to a discharge point at the furnace, a series of receiving oppers along said track, a gathering car of greater horizontal extent than a hopper and movable on said track in order to re; ceive the material from said hoppers, and a charge car of greater horizontal extent than and receiving the material from said gathering car. a

17. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, a track leading to a discharge point at the furnace, a series of receiving oppers along said track, a athering car of greater horizontal extent than a hopper and movable on said track in order to receive the material from said hoppers, and a charge car of greater horizontal extent than and receiving the material from said gathering car, said charge car being of less horizontal extent than and adapted to deposit the material in the furnace.

18. In a system for charging elongated furnaces, an inclined main track leading to the furnace, a charge car thereon, an elevated track, a reserve charge car thereon, and a switch adapted to connect said elevated track with said main track.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature this 19th day of June, 1922.

WILLIAM E. NEWNAM.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,551,606 granted September 1, 1925, upon the ap lication of William E. Newnam, of St. Louis, Missouri, for an improvement in Furnace-Charging Systems, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 79, claim 1, after the Word to insert the words a; discharge point at, and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this27th day of October, A. D. 1925.

KARL FENNING, Actina Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,551,606, granted September 1, 1925, upon the application of William E. Newnam, of St. Louis, Missouri, for an improvement in Furnace-Charging Systems, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 79, claim 1, after the word to insert the words a discharge point at; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice. Q

Signed and sealed this-27th day of October, A. D. 1925.

[BELL] KARL FENNING,

Actina Commissioner of Patents. 

